A big welcome back after a well-deserved break by everyone. A big thank you to everyone who participated in the Christmas fundraiser of which we raised over £100 pounds. This money will be spent to buy some new items for the children to be creative and have fun with. The Christmas party was a great success and the children and staff had great fun and enjoyment. A big thank you to Jake for putting out some great tunes and disco moves with the children.

Welcome to New Staff

We had to say goodbye to Dario and Jacob as they pursue new and exciting opportunities. We wish them all the best for the future.

We would like to welcome on board our staff team Melissa, Sue and Alexis .Melissa is a six form student at Christ the King Sixth Form and she is employed with us as a Trainee Play worker. Sue is working at the Breakfast and After School Club on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Sue has a wealth of experience working with Children and has spent over 12 years working for Family Action in London setting up projects and running Children Led groups. Alexis is joining us for Breakfast Club full time and is a qualified dance teacher and has a wealth of experience in the Creative Arts. Alexis will be setting up a Street dancing club at breakfast Club twice a week.

Duke of Edinburgh Award Volunteers

The CCC Club Staff would like to thank of the volunteers from HATG who have given their time over the past three months supporting the children and volunteering each week carrying out Art and Crafts activities. All of this will go towards their Duke of Edinburgh award hours of volunteering requirements in completing the course.

February Half term Holiday Scheme

We are now taking bookings for the holiday scheme. If you wish to book a place, please send you’re booking requirements via email to stephencobdenccc@gmail.com or karenpalmerccc@gmail.com to confirm a place. All bookings must be paid for in advance and you will be sent an invoice to pay before your booking is confirmed. The cost is £25.00 pounds per day or £110.00 for a full week. A 10% discount is given for those with siblings. Please ensure that you bring a healthy pack lunch and good footwear and warm clothing as the children will be going out. There will be a trip to the Cinema and Honor Oak Adventure Playground. A full program of daily evens will be on display in both Clubs by Monday 5th February.

Memorable password

As you are aware we are updating our systems for safeguarding purposes to include a memorable password for children who are collected by persons who are not regular collectors. We gave slips out back in October last year and asked for you to return to staff by the end of November. If you have not been given a slip or forgot to hand it back, please speak to a member of the staff team who will gladly give you a new slip for you complete and return. Children will be allowed to go home unless the memorable password is given.

Easter Holidays

We are not going to be operating a Holiday Scheme for the Easter Break as we do not have sufficient staff to cover over this period. We will be operating a May Half Term and Summer scheme. Further details to follow.

Changing days /sessions/clubs at school

If you wish to change or cancel sessions, you need to give sufficient notice to the CCC Club to enable us to amend our records and also please read the parent terms and conditions or how much notice is given. We understanding at some of the schools your children may change clubs, however, it is important that you email us to let us know and also inform your child’s class teacher, so we are all clear on this matter and children are not left at school uncollected.

Outstanding/Amended or Incorrect Invoices

If you have an Outstanding Invoice please can you make a prompt payment to clear your account? If you are having difficulties, please email Karen who will be able to discuss any issues or concerns. If you have an invoice that needs amending or is incorrect, please email cherwmoore@gmail.com who deals with all financial needs for the CCC Club and will be able to support and advise you.

My fellow directors and I wanted to share with you some news regarding the management of The CCC Club.

Over the last months, Patrick has done a great job as our executive manager. However, both Patrick and the directors have come to the conclusion that the manager’s workload cannot be delivered in the two days per week that Patrick was able to offer.

In light of this, we have appointed Cher Moore – one of the club directors – in to a three-hours-a-day, 5-day a week position as manager, which she will continue to do until she can recruit a replacement who can work the same hours and offer a suitably high standard of experience and passion. Cher should be your primary day-to-day point of contact from now on cherwmoore@gmail.com or on 07437 499918 (we are having a landline installed - number to follow)

We are immensely grateful to Patrick for the time he has spent with us, especially the above-the-call-of-duty hands-on support that he has provided to our staff and the club kids. We hope that he can continue to be part of the club’s extended family of local, committed, caring people.

We thought we’d let Cher introduce herself:

‘I supported the set up and managed the successful Oakhill Community Day Nursery in Brockley. Having worked directly with children for many years, I understood the challenges staff members faced. I revelled in supporting and training the staff team, empowering them to make decisions and embrace change.

I was extremely dedicated in making sure that the nursery was built around community. I devoted my time into parent-partnership ensuring that each family felt included (the renowned Oakbloke dads group I initiated are still meeting up regularly today).

My recognition came when I won Lewisham Council’s ‘Manager of the Year’ award after my first year as manager of the nursery. I am qualified in the Management of Quality Standards in Children's Services and have a First Class Honors Degree in Education.

I look forward to meeting you all and getting to better know your kids, and to continue the good work of the CCC Club and make it even better! And please don’t hesitate to get in contact with any questions, thoughts or ideas.’

Neesha and the team have been busy organising a group of children to represent the views of the club members. It is an open forum, designed not only to resolve grievances but also to put forward ideas to the panel, staff and directors, whether it is activities or food being the item for discussion.

We are looking to set up a second children’s council to ensure as many children have a chance to participate as possible. At the first meeting, children asked to be able to feedback their ideas anonymously. This will be in the form of a suggestion box and should give every child the opportunity to be a part of the decision making.

Choir and piano

Rosa will start working with the children at the club on Tuesday 27th January after she returns from Germany and will offer the children the opportunity to be part of the CCC choir.

Rosa is also keen to start piano lessons on an individual basis so we have asked Rosa to concentrate on the choir and we will let you know as soon as the piano lesson details have been finalised.

Volunteers required

Work is planned to make the garden behind our club into a wonderful community space that will enrich not just the children’s experience but hopefully everyone that can be enticed by barbecues, mini shows and other community events. We will ask staff and children for input into how they use the space so that this can be factored into the plans for the garden.

To prepare the area, we will arrange a Saturday and/or Sunday volunteer event in February where we can all muck in to clear the metal container and prepare for seeding/planting. Ella from Grow Wild will be leading the project and we will need as many people as possible to help. Further details will be sent via email as soon as we know dates.

As you know, we are extremely keen to involve parents, grandparents and as many members of the community as possible and would welcome volunteers that could help with school drop-offs between 8.30 and 9am, or pick-ups between 3pm and 3.45pm. If you are interested, please email patrickwalshcccc@gmail.com and we would be glad to hear from you.

Goodbye

We are extremely sad to be bidding farewell to Lucy, and her daughter Eva, as she is leaving us on Friday 30th January. During her time as a the Manager/Play worker she has shown herself to be a thoughtful, caring professional, a supportive colleague and a wonderful ambassador for the club. Lucy will continue to work within childcare so it is good to know that she has not been lost to the sector and we wish her the very best of luck in the future

Children’s Section – Why do you like the CCC Club?

Neesha, Lucy, Elise and Evie have been putting on some great activities during the after school club so it’s no wonder we have heard the following comments:

“I like the CCC Club because it’s not just one age its different ages so it gives younger children a chance to play with the older children. – Rosie”

“I love doing art at the CCC Club” – Mae

“I love drawing” – Yuna

“I like the CCC Club because I like reading” – Megan

“Show me the paint” - Anonymous

We would also like to include some photos of the children within our more detailed newsletters at the end of the month so please do let us know if you would prefer that your child(ren) are not included within published photos by emailing patrickwalshcccc@gmail.com

Forthcoming newsletters

If you have any news, items or information that you would like us to include in the future, please email patrickwalshcccc@gmail.com as we will be sending updates regularly.